A Special Birthday
by shaunathan
Summary: Red searches for the right gift for Yellow’s birthday.


It was the morning of March 3, and Red was about to pass out from stress. Today was Yellow's birthday, and he didn't have a gift for her. It wasn't like he hadn't been planning to give her something—he had, of course—but this was an important birthday for her, her eighteenth, and he wanted to give her a present that was just as significant.

Of course, he had to find something like that first, and that was the whole trouble.

He was getting desperate. He'd planned to meet her at her house around lunchtime, and already it was 9 o'clock. He had a few hours, four at the absolute most, to find the perfect gift, but he had run through all his ideas, and nothing seemed right. Two weeks of planning had yielded absolutely nothing. He needed help.

"Blue," he called, knocking on his friend's front door. "Blue, If you're there, open up. I need to talk."

A few moments later, Blue opened the door, still in her pajamas and slippers, and gave him a coy smile. "Hi Red~" she purred, learning against the door frame and twirling a strand of her hair. "I knew you'd come here eventually, but so early in the day? You must be eager~"

Red felt his face heat up. "N-Not about—I mean—I don't want to do that!" he stammered.

Blue broke her act, laughing so hard she doubled over. "Oh boy, you should've seen your face!" She wiped away a tear. "I'm kidding, Red. What was it you wanted to talk about?"

"Y-You're a—a—" Red struggled to find a word, but those evaded him as completely as ideas for Yellow's present. He sighed. "Look, I need your help."

"Ooh, what for? Not for battling, I'd imagine. Not for training, you're top-notch at that. So then, it must be..." She snapped her fingers. "You need help with something for Yellow's birthday!" Grinning, she bowed. "No need for applause, I know I'm clever."

Red crossed his arms. "So can you help?"

"My wish is your command," Blue said, offering him an entrance. When they were both inside, she directed him to her couch and sat down beside him. "Now, what's going on?"

Red chewed his tongue, touching his fingertips together sheepishly. "Well, it's Yellow's eighteenth birthday today, and I wanted to give her something... something special, you know? But I can't think of anything." He shrugged helplessly. "Any ideas?"

Blue considered. "A special gift, huh? So... something unique, something that only you can give, am I right?"

He hasn't put those specific words to it, but the more Red turned over that phrase, 'Something that only he could give,' the more he knew that was exactly what he meant. "Yeah, that's it."

Her eyes lit up. "Ooh, if that's the case, I have the perfect—!" Suddenly, her mouth snapped shut and her expression faded from excitement to guilt. "No, no, I—I can't tell you that. Never mind."

Red frowned. He'd never seen Blue's emotions one-eighty as quick as that, and this was one of the only times he could remember where she'd actually contradicted herself. Something was up. "What? What were you going to say?"

She looked pained, like it physically hurt her to keep silent about what she'd almost let slip. "Nothing, Red! Really, nothing. How about you, um, offer to Poké-sit Chuchu for the day? I'm sure Pika would like that."

"That's a terrible idea, and you know it," Red dismissed. "You were going to say something and then you stopped. What was it?"

Blue shot him a glare. "Sometimes you ask way too many questions, Red."

He sighed. "Listen, I know you don't want to tell me, but I really want to know. I just want to make Yellow happy on her birthday. That's all. Please?"

The girl sighed and chewed her lower lip. Inside her Jigglypuff-themed slippers, she curled and uncurled her toes over and over, stalling while she considered. Finally, she sighed. "You make a really good speech. I think... if she knew that's what you..." She nodded. "Yeah, she'd be okay with me telling you."

Red licked his lips, which had suddenly gotten very dry. The anticipation was making him nervous. Blue was acting like she had some sort of huge revelation she was going to share. "Telling me what?"

"Right," Blue began, making solid eye contact, which, out of habit from her years of tricks and deceit, she hardly ever did. Red could barely hold in his excitement; this must be a big secret. "For as long as she's known you, Red, Yellow has had a crush on you. And I don't mean a passing childish thing. It might have been one at first, but it's not now. If you asked her to marry you, she wouldn't hesitate."

Red was stunned into silence. He tried to say, "Wow," but his lips moved soundlessly. He thought about Yellow, trying to reconcile his memories of her with this new information, and all of a sudden, everything made sense. All those shy glances, those deep stares he sometimes caught her giving him, those thick blushes that coated her face every time he spoke to her one-on-one... all finally clicked. She liked him.

"So..." Blue continued, "The most special gift you could give her today... is to return those feelings." She glanced up at him from the section of carpet she'd been staring at. "Do you?"

Red didn't answer right away. He was frozen in thought, recalling every encounter he'd ever had with Yellow and realizing how foolish he'd been throughout all of them. He had, without meaning to, led her on for years. He'd suggested they live together, he'd held her like a bride, shirtless no less, and each time, he'd failed to notice how she'd looked at him, how she'd shown her shy longing. He'd hurt her without knowing.

"Oh no..." Blue moaned, watching his pensive expression. She looked sick. "Oh God, you don't. You don't like her back!" She buried her face in her hands. "I'm an idiot! I should never have even mentioned this. She's going to be heartbroken!"

"No," Red interrupted. His thoughts were sluggish, and so were his words, but as he thought back over those times when Yellow had given him a kind smile or gentle reassurance when he'd felt down, or when she'd put her life on the line to save his, and as he remembered the warm feeling of protectiveness that had washed over him when he'd held her in his arms, his conclusion was clear. "I do. I do like her."

"Really?" Blue looked up, surprising him with the beginnings of genuine tears dancing in her eyes. "You're not just saying that to make me feel better?"

Red shook his head firmly. "No, I mean it." Then he muttered, sadly, "I just wish I'd realized it sooner."

Her eyes stretched wide with excitement. "Well, it's not like it's too late! Tell her how you feel! Make this the best birthday she's ever had!"

The young man nodded, rising from the couch. He could feel his heart pounding with excitement and nerves. "Right. Thanks for the advice, Blue!"

\- - -

Two hours later, Red knocked on Yellow's door. He'd meant to wait until noon, like he'd originally planned, but his anxiety had gotten the better of him, and he couldn't hold off any longer.

"Coming!" came her voice from the other side of the door. He could hear soft footsteps through the polished wood as she came closer, quick with excitement. Blood began to pound in his ears as he second guessed his whole plan. But when the door opened and he saw her on the other side, smiling and in the process of tying her hair back, he knew what he had to do.

"Hi Red!" she chirped, but that was all she had time to get out, because he bent down, cupped her cheeks between his hands, and kissed her on the lips.

It lasted for what felt like hours but was probably only seconds, and then, as quickly as it had started, it was over. She looked up at him with glowing eyes, and he said, "Happy birthday, Yellow," which felt lackluster compared to what came before, but he put his heart into those three words anyway.

"Eheh," she giggled, her face frozen in a wide smile. Then, quite suddenly, she fell forward into his arms. Surprised, he caught her and tried to help her to her feet, but quickly found she was completely unconscious. He'd surprised her so much she'd fainted.

Smiling to himself, Red realized he should've expected something like this. Yellow was brave and strong, but when it came to being around him, the slightest comment could send her into a blushing fit. What he'd done had overwhelmed her.

He picked her up and carried her into her house, sitting on the couch and holding her just as he had four years ago after the airship incident. He didn't know how long it would take for her to wake up, but he was willing to wait.

Just like she'd waited for him, he would wait for her, as long as it took.


End file.
